


My Hero

by AppleTeeth



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, M/M, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Protective Thor (Marvel), short and sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-18 10:47:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28865778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AppleTeeth/pseuds/AppleTeeth
Summary: Thor is a little bit too protective of Bruce, especially when Bruce can clearly take care of himself. But that doesn't mean he won't be a good boyfriend and look out for him regardless.
Relationships: Bruce Banner/Thor
Comments: 4
Kudos: 70





	My Hero

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this adorable Tumblr post, I just had to write it:
> 
> https://appleteeth.tumblr.com/post/640763861110226944/duce-thruce-curioscribonius-duce-thruce

“Hey, Thor, you okay?” Bruce asked as his line of sight had been suddenly blocked by an expanse of shoulders and back muscles.

“No, everything is fine, right?”

“Oh, erm, sure. No problem here,” a man Bruce hadn’t even noticed was in front of him said and finally Thor stepped back out of the way. Bruce watched the guy shove past a few people on the sidewalk in his rush to get out of the area.

“What was that all about?” Bruce asked curiously.

“Nothing. Did you still want to stop at the bookstore?”

This wasn’t the first time Bruce had found himself suddenly behind his boyfriend, as if shielding him from a potential threat. He had noticed it once or twice, but had just shrugged it off as nothing serious. Thor was protective of all his friends, after all, and Bruce was about a foot shorter than him, so it stood to reason he wouldn’t want to see him get hurt, as funny a concept as that was when he had a personal bodyguard living inside him.

It had started on Sakaar, when it had been necessary. Bruce was terrified turning back into Hulk would be the last time he ever did, so when he bumped into the fighter who smelled of sweat and dried blood, Thor had stepped in front of Bruce in case the alien was ready to hurt him. 

But they were back on earth. And his issue with Hulk was well and truly over. If anyone wanted to start a fight it would only end one way.

“Thor, I really appreciate you trying to protect me,” he said as Thor glared over at the person who was ahead of them in line and had ordered the last of the scones Bruce had set his heart on. “But I’m fine. I can defend myself, you know?”

And though it took a moment for Thor to turn away from the innocent bystander and back to his boyfriend, his features softened instantly.

“I’m sorry, my love. I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“It’s kind of impossible, but thank you,” Bruce picked up Thor’s hand and kissed the back of it sweetly. “You’re my hero even if I can take care of myself. Well, Hulk can take care of me. But you’re a close second in my list of protectors.”

Thor tried to keep his defending down to a minimum, but although he no longer stood between his boyfriend and whatever potential threat he perceived, Bruce still spotted him glaring at random people he thought were a threat to him now and then. He even once pointed at his own eye and back at the little old lady who had innocently tripped Bruce up with her walker. If Bruce wasn’t scared he might follow through on his threats, he was definitely worried they were going to get a reputation for bullying the general public. 

What nearly had Thor shooting lightning from his eye was not a physical threat, however. It was a simple comment that Bruce had the misfortune of overhearing.

“I thought they kept that monster locked up?” one snooty middle-aged man asked his equally awful wife.

“Hm, they should,” she agreed. “It’s a danger to society out here in public.”

They were clearly looking at Bruce, but he was trying not to look at them, keeping his face buried in the book he was reading on the park bench and trying with every breath not to do or say something he might regret. The couple harrumphed as they walked away, not even bothering to give Bruce the respect to keep their voices down as they continued their loud conversation about dangerous beasts roaming the city. 

It was only when Thor returned with the ice-cream cones did he finally lower the book and realised there were angry tears in his eyes. 

“What happened?” Thor asked immediately, throwing the ice-creams over his shoulders in preparation to fight. “Who hurt you? Are you injured?”

“No” he sighed softly. “Just some assholes saying I should be locked up. I suppose they’re right…”

“They said what?” Thor asked quietly, and Bruce turned to see his blue eye was sparking, like a lighter being flicked to life over and over. 

“Hey, no, it’s okay, please don’t do anything…”

Thor snapped out of his deathly glare and turned to Bruce who looked nervous to the point his fingers were shaking. He grabbed his hands immediately. 

“I’m sorry, my love,” he said quickly. Bruce was looking down at the ground and biting his lower lip nervously. “Hey, hey, it’s fine. I won’t go attack them, even if they do deserve it.”

“Maybe being so public was a mistake,” he said quietly, and shook away Thor’s hands so he could wipe his eyes properly. “People are still scared of Hulk after Ultron and everything…”

“You mean when you helped save the world?” Thor asked gently. “You are one of earth’s mightiest protectors and I won’t let people think so little of you. They should be erecting statues of you, not fearing you! Gold ones, with little statues of children surrounding you in awe!”

And finally Bruce snorted, if just a little.

“And parades! Lots of parades with that annoying paper stuff that gets everywhere. Keys!” he snapped his fingers and pointed at Bruce. “You deserve those key things they give out so you can enter cities freely!”

This time Bruce did laugh, his eyes finally flickering up towards Thor who was smiling broadly. 

“I’ll settle for honorary doctorates. You know, add to my collection.”

“Yes! Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. _Dr._ Banner!” he counted them off on his fingers. He felt warm lips press against his cheek and wrapped his arms around the other man immediately. 

“Thank you for protecting me, even if it was against my own self-doubt,” Bruce said, cuddling Thor tightly. 

“If I cannot protect you physically then I will protect you with my words,” Thor promised him, kissing the top of his head. 

“My hero,” Bruce smiled.

Movie night seemed like it was going to be an uneventful affair, even though they were watching the Karate Kid and Clint was arguing that Danny was the real bully of the movie just to encourage discord. He had most of the popcorn thrown at him before they had even got as far as the Halloween school dance, and Bruce offered to microwave a new bag so long as Clint kept his anti-LaRusso theories to himself.

He was listening to the frantic popping and the movie still playing in the other room when he spotted something on the counter. Massive flying space aliens he could handle. Armies of robots, no problem. But he would be damned if he was going to deal with a bug on his own.

“Thor!” 

It had to be record speed as Thor bounded into the kitchen, looking ready to fight an army single handedly. 

“Ewww,” Bruce moaned at the cockroach scurrying across the counter towards the microwave. “Thor, please get rid of it!”

Thor looked down at the creature as if it was the most fearsome monster they had ever fought. He picked it up in disgust, glaring at it with pure hatred.

“You scared my beloved,” he said with a deathly quiet voice. “Now I will show you the full fury of an Asgardian!”

He opened the kitchen window and threw the cockroach onto the balcony. Shutting the window quickly, he turned to Bruce who had thrown the back of his hand to his forehead, his other hand furiously fanning his face.

“Oh Thor,” he swooned. “My brave hero!” he put on a bit of a Southern twang for effect. “Why, I don’t know what I would do without you!”

“Think nothing of it, all in a day’s work,” and Thor grabbed Bruce by the shoulders so that he could kiss him like he was a soldier returning from a war. Bruce even lifted one leg to really get into character. 

“What the fuck was that all about?” Tony asked the group who were all peering from the living room at the spectacle on display. 

“Cockroach upset my boyfriend,” Thor explained, his face grave before he kissed a very dizzy looking Bruce once again.


End file.
